On our way out Cara answers a questionnaire about tourism for a greek school project - cute. Vaarlem is the most spectacular located of the monasteries sitting on it’s own peak of rock. Many parts of it are new but still kept in the spirit of orthodoxy - one new ceiling is an huge criss cross of inlaid wood construction - very beautiful.

In Vaalem there are more treasures, more icons and more ancient documents (some from 1200AD) - also a new room dedicated to the neo-martyrs who are basically the folk who died under torture during the fight for independance from the ottoman empire. We discover that Greek Nationalism and Greek orthodoxy are deeply intertwined.

Rather footsore we walk back down the mountain and collapse at home for a bit. We wake at sunset and have espresso and baked goods for my birthday. We eat at a familiar place in town with simple food and homemade red wine - a really good 45th birthday.